Bangkok is the capital and most populous city of Thailand. It is
known in Thai as Krung Thep Maha Nakhon or simply Krung Thep. The
city occupies 1,568.7 square kilometres (605.7 sq mi) in the Chao
Phraya River delta in Central Thailand, and has a population of over
8 million, or 12.6 percent of the country's population. Over 14
million people (22.2 percent) live within the surrounding Bangkok
Metropolitan Region, making Bangkok an extreme primate city,
significantly dwarfing Thailand's other urban centres in terms of
importance.
Bangkok traces its roots to a small trading post during the
Ayutthaya Kingdom in the 15th century, which eventually grew and
became the site of two capital cities: Thonburi in 1768 and
Rattanakosin in 1782. Bangkok was at the heart of the modernization
of Siam—later renamed Thailand—during the late 19th century, as the
country faced pressures from the West. The city was at the centre of
Thailand's political struggles throughout the 20th century, as the
country abolished absolute monarchy, adopted constitutional rule and
underwent numerous coups and several uprisings. The city grew
rapidly during the 1960s through the 1980s and now exerts a
significant impact on Thailand's politics, economy, education, media
and modern society.
The Asian investment boom in the 1980s and 1990s led many
multinational corporations to locate their regional headquarters in
Bangkok. The city is now a major regional force in finance and
business. It is an international hub for transport and health care,
and has emerged as a regional centre for the arts, fashion and
entertainment. The city is well known for its vibrant street life
and cultural landmarks, as well as its notorious red-light
districts. The historic Grand Palace and Buddhist temples including
Wat Arun and Wat Pho stand in contrast with other tourist
attractions such as the nightlife scenes of Khaosan Road and
Patpong. Bangkok is among the world's top tourist destinations. It
is named the most visited city in MasterCard's Global Destination
Cities Index, and was named "World's Best City" for four consecutive
years by Travel + Leisure magazine.

This schedule is for reference
only, the arrangement of the tour should be subject to the final
program.